Cover artwork I generate from the game data. I do not use publisher artwork.
Game profile
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
The Switch version combines the colorful co op platforming adventure with the open bonus mode Bowser's Fury. Up to four players jump together through cleverly built levels.
Affiliate link. If you buy through it, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
What kind of game this is
At its core this is Platformer, set in a fantasy world. Visually it is deliberately stylised rather than photorealistic, and the overall tone stays light and upbeat. The structure is guided rather than open, so you are moved along instead of dropped into a map. Sessions of an hour or two sit at the sweet spot here.
The difficulty is moderate and fair, demanding attention without punishing you for it. Story exists mostly as background texture rather than a reason to keep going. Co-op is supported, so you can bring someone along. It is available on one platform. It sits in the mid price bracket.
What stands out
- Four player co op
- Bowser's Fury bonus
- Colorful level variety
This fits you if
- you want to wind down rather than be tested
- exploring for its own sake is the point for you
- you have someone to play with
- you want something light that leaves you in a good mood
Look elsewhere if
- you want something with real weight to it
- you want either a pure challenge or pure relaxation, not the middle
What it costs you in time
About 16 hours in total. At three evenings a week and two hours each, you will be busy for roughly 3 weeks, or 8 sessions.
How the rating ranks
Critics settled on 91 out of 100, which puts it above 90 percent of the 1206 games here and at rank 115 overall. That is a strong score, comfortably above what most releases manage.
For comparison, Platformer averages 84 points across the database, so this one sits 7 points above its own genre. The figure rests on 123 collected ratings.
Released in 2021, so it has 5 years behind it. Usually cheap by now and the rough edges are long fixed.
The facts
- Release year
- 2021
- Genres
- Platformer
- Playtime
- approx. 16 hrs.
- Difficulty
- Moderate, fair
- Story weight
- Background flavour
- Play with
- Solo, Co-op
- Setting
- Fantasy
- Visual style
- Stylised
- Price bracket
- Mid price
- Platforms
- Switch
- Critic rating
- 91 / 100
Direct comparison
| Genres | Release year | Playtime | Critic rating | Price bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury | 2021 | approx. 16 hrs. | 91 | Mid price |
| Rayman Legends | 2013 | approx. 10 hrs. | 90 | Mid price |
| Super Mario Galaxy | 2007 | approx. 15 hrs. | 99 | Mid price |
| Super Mario Sunshine | 2002 | approx. 15 hrs. | 92 | Budget |
If you liked this, try these
- Rayman Legends Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, shorter
- Super Mario Galaxy Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, rated higher
- Super Mario Sunshine Shared: Platformer, Fantasy, rated higher
- Kirby und das vergessene Land Shared: Platformer, Fantasy
- Kena: Bridge of Spirits Shared: Platformer, Fantasy
- Spyro Reignited Trilogy Shared: Platformer, Fantasy